Link Report for Thurs. 7/17 -- Wrap-Up with Logan Schafer Notes, Photos

[Mass Haas]

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central except Arizona League; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: Idle

 

Huntsville: LHP Troy Cate at home vs. Tennessee (Cubs), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link via WUMP, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/multimedia/audio.jsp?sid=t559

 

Brevard County: RHP Jeremy Jeffress and LHP Bobby Bramhall in a doubleheader at home vs. Clearwater (Phillies), 4:00 gametime; each contest seven innings

 

Sorry, no audio for this series...

West Virginia: RHP Amaury Rivas at home vs. Columbus (Rays), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link via WSWW, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/clubs/ip_index.jsp?sid=milb&cid=t525

 

Helena: RHP Liam Ohlmann at Idaho Falls (Royals), 8:00 PM pre-game, 8:15 gametime

 

Audio link via KCAP, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/clubs/ip_index.jsp?sid=milb&cid=t433

 

Arizona: Idle

[Mass Haas]

Follow Thursday's action as it happens:
Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Choose "Recap". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often.

Huntsville:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t559&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_17_tenaax_hunaax_1

Brevard County Game One:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_17_clrafa_breafa_1

Brevard County Game Two:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_17_clrafa_breafa_2

West Virginia:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_17_clmafx_wvaafx_1

Helena:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_17_helrok_idarok_1

[Mass Haas]

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iowa 60 40 .600 - 36-17 24-23 L2 Memphis 54 44 .551 5.0 26-21 28-23 W1 Omaha 45 52 .464 13.5 20-26 25-26 L1 Nashville 39 60 .394 20.5 19-27 20-33 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tennessee 17 9 .654 - 9-6 8-3 W1 Huntsville 14 12 .538 3.0 5-6 9-6 L2 Carolina 13 13 .500 4.0 5-5 8-8 W1 Chattanooga 11 15 .423 6.0 6-9 5-6 L1 West Tenn 9 17 .346 8.0 2-9 7-8 W3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Daytona 15 10 .600 - 7-3 8-7 W2 St. Lucie 13 9 .591 0.5 8-5 5-4 L2 Palm Beach 14 10 .583 0.5 10-6 4-4 L1 Jupiter 13 10 .565 1.0 6-2 7-8 W3 Vero Beach 10 15 .400 5.0 4-9 6-6 L5 Brevard County 8 16 .333 6.5 3-9 5-7 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Virginia 19 7 .731 - 9-2 10-5 W1 Lakewood 16 10 .615 3.0 9-5 7-5 W1 Delmarva 13 13 .500 6.0 6-8 7-5 L2 Hagerstown 11 15 .423 8.0 5-10 6-5 L1 Hickory 11 15 .423 8.0 3-7 8-8 L2 Lake County 11 15 .423 8.0 5-10 6-5 L4 Greensboro 9 17 .346 10.0 3-8 6-9 W1 Lexington 5 20 .200 13.5 2-10 3-10 L6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 17 11 .607 - 6-1 11-10 W2 Great Falls 16 12 .571 1.0 9-4 7-8 W1 Helena 14 14 .500 3.0 9-9 5-5 L1 Missoula 6 22 .214 11.0 3-15 3-7 L1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Angels 14 5 .737 - 7-3 7-2 W3 AZL Padres 11 8 .579 3.0 7-2 4-6 L2 AZL Royals 11 9 .550 3.5 8-2 3-7 W1 AZL Cubs 10 9 .526 4.0 7-2 3-7 L3 AZL Rangers 10 9 .526 4.0 5-5 5-4 L1 AZL Giants 10 10 .500 4.5 5-5 5-5 L1 AZL Athletics 9 10 .474 5.0 4-5 5-5 W3 AZL Mariners 8 12 .400 6.5 5-5 3-7 W1 AZL Brewers 4 15 .211 10.0 4-6 0-9 W1 

[Mass Haas]

Helena Pre-Game Audio Interview from Wednesday with Helena Manager Rene Gonzales

Click on the KCAP archive of July 16th, then browse to the 18:45 minute mark -- gushing praise of 18-year-old LHP Efrain Nieves, nice discussions on John Delaney and Chris Dennis as well...

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Pre-Game Audio Interview from Wednesday with Mat Gamel

Click on the WUMP archive of July 16th, then browse to the 02:30 minute mark -- Mat talks about taking part in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium...

[TheCrew07]

It is wrong that I've listened to so much Stars baseball this year I know the commercials on during the game by heart?

[bretsky07]

When they play the same 3 or 4 over and over and over... no it's not wrong. The real question is, "Is your chicken kickin'?" I especially enjoy hating that one, and making chicken noises right along with it, much to the annoyment of anyone around me.

[Mass Haas]

Link Report Bonus:

 

Courtesy of the Nashville site, All-Star Nicknames

[Mass Haas]

I couldn't find where it was posted, but earlier this week someone questioned Frank Kremblas for backing out of his PCL All-Star Game managing job this week. To be fair to Frank, it was subsequently written in media elsewhere that is was related to a family member's health.

 

We wish Frank well whatever the situation.

[TheCrew07]

That was me, here's what I wrote..

 

Of all the managers in the system Kremblas gets the least talent to work with every year, and he's consistently gotten results. Nashville's record certainly hasn't been a reflection of being prospect laden, anyone who succeeds there doesn't last very long (with the exception of Hart). I like what Kremblas does. he pushes the young men to become better all around players, and teaches them the games within the game. I find the notion that he's a "whiner" because he wanted a game called earlier misplaced... when you read the whole story you find out he was mad because the pitchers could not grip the ball and it was sailing on them all, some hit the backstop on the fly, so he was forced to use extra relievers. To me that's not whining, that's DiFelice getting hurt and Kremblas having to burn through the whole pen with 2 more games the following day, in my opinion Kremblas was being practical about the situation. Kremblas has his character flaws for sure and I'm curious about his actions surrounding the all-star game, but he's not a "whiner".

I wasn't trying to bag on Kremblas at all, I'm sorry if anyone took it that way.

[Mass Haas]

Turned on the audio just in time to listen to a six-run (so far) Power fifth inning -- this team is fun, Andy Barch is having a ball with the call...

 

Huntsville scoreless early.

 

Jeremy Jeffress goes 4 1/3, three runs on six hits, three walks, six K's. Manatees trailing 3-0 late.

 

EDIT: Still just one out in the 5th, nine runs in -- Lee Haydel a bases-loaded triple -- the only play more exciting in baseball an inside-the-park grand slam. 10-2 Power, still working for more.

[wvpowerblkwel]

Power were fantastic tonite hanging a 10 spot on the board in the fifth. Gindl has another multi hit game and helps to cut another guy down at third base throwing a strike to Eric Farris who nails the runner trying to stretch it to a triple! Wilson continues to swing a hot bat with another multi hit performance. Rivas gives up long balls to 2 of the first three batters but settles down pretty nicely after that!

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 9, Tennessee (Cubs) 3

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Big Innings Push Stars Past Smokies

Huntsville Back to Within Two of Tennessee

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

Troy Cate worked seven solid innings and benefited from a pair of four-run frames in Huntsville's 9-3 win over Tennessee Thursday night in the second of a five-game set at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars improved to 15-12 in the second half and pulled to within two games of the North Division leading Smokies, who dropped to 17-10. The Stars have won eight of the 11 games between the teams this season.

 

For a second straight night the game was scoreless through three innings before the Smokies posted a pair of runs in the fourth. Tyler Colvin and Doug Deeds singled and came into score on a Wellington Castillo double. Huntsville responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame to take the lead for good.

 

Alcides Escobar was hit by Grant Johnson to open the frame, advanced to second on an infield hit by Mat Gamel and moved to third base when Angel Salome walked to fill the bases. Cole Gillespie hit what looked like it was going to be a sacrifice fly to center field until Colvin lost it in the changing night sky and overran the ball, allowing it to drop for a two-run single to tie the game. Salome and Gillespie advanced on a Mike Bell sacrifice bunt and scored on a two-out single by Michael Garciaparra.

 

Salome's single with the bases loaded in the fifth brought home two runs to make it 6-2. On the play, Gamel rounded the bag at second base and third baseman Josh Lansford threw wildly past the bag at second in an attempt to get him going back, allowing Gamel to score and Salome to reach third. Johnson was then lifted from the game and replaced by Mark Holliman, who uncorked a wild pitch to allow Salome to score to make it 8-2. Johnson was charged with the loss in his first double-A start, allowing six earned runs, seven hits and walking two to fall to 1-2.

 

Bell's throwing error in the seventh allowed Lansford to score to make it 9-3 before Cate closed his performance, giving up seven hits, striking out two and not walking a batter. The veteran left-hander improved to 3-0 and wound up stranding a runner in each of his last six innings, including a runner at second in each of the last three. David Johnson worked a shutout eighth inning to extend his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 15 1/3 and Juan Sandoval retired the side in order in the ninth with three ground ball outs.

 

The series continues Friday with left-hander David Welch making the start for the Stars against Smokies' southpaw James Russell. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 pm central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com and www.730ump.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

Lorenzo Cain bumped from 8th to leadoff, particularly in Game Two of Michael Brantley's suspension; Alcides Escobar (double), Angel Salome and Cole Gillespie reach three times each, Mat Gamel two hits; David Johnson has struck out 46 in 36.1 innings; Mat Gamel handled three of four ground balls, Troy Cate pitched around Gamel's leadoff fielding error in the 2nd...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Huntsville to host 2010 SL All-Stars

League event returns to city for first time since '86

By BRAD SHEPARD

For The Huntsville Times

 

The Southern League All-Star game is coming to Huntsville in 2010.

 

Stars general manager Buck Rogers said the organization made its pitch during the league meetings at last weekend's All-Star game in Zebulon, N.C., with support from the city. He learned the good news on Thursday.

 

"This is absolutely huge news for us going into the future here," Rogers said. "We're trying to make improvements in the stadium, and we've had a great relationship with the city through all of this."

 

Since Rogers has been on the job, vast improvements have been made to Joe Davis, including a brand new sound system and extensive painting across the stadium.

 

Now, they have a major event to look forward to, as does the league president.

 

"I'm very excited that the All-Star game is coming to my hometown and to Joe Davis Stadium," said Don Mincher, who was also a longtime owner and general manager of the Stars. "But my concentration right now is on the 2009 All-Star game in Birmingham. Then, we can look forward to this."

 

This will be the first time Huntsville has hosted the Southern League All-Star game since 1986 when the team played the Nashville Sounds and the first time it has hosted any professional all-star baseball game since 1991 when the Double-A event was held at Joe Davis Stadium.

 

Players such as Terry Steinbach, Jim Thome, Bret Boone, Bill Ripken and Glenallen Hill participated in those games.

 

This past weekend, the Carolina Mudcats hosted the game, and 5,667 fans attended a 6-1 win by the North Division. Rogers said it helped matters to have Mincher on the Stars' side during the meetings.

 

"Mr. Mincher went in there fighting for us," Rogers said. "After next year's All-Star game, somebody's going to say, 'the Huntsville Stars are on the clock,' and we're proud of it."

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 11, Columbus (Rays) 4

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER SCORE TEN IN THE FIFTH TO BEAT COLUMBUS

 

The West Virginia Power sent 14 batters to the plate and scored 10 runs on eight hits in the bottom of the fifth inning of Thursday night's game at Appalachian Power Park to defeat the Columbus Catfish 11-4.

 

The Catfish took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Maiko Loyola and Reid Fronk both hit solo home runs to give Columbus the early edge. The Power cut the deficit in half when Caleb Gindl singled with two outs in the fourth inning to score Steffan Wilson. The Power trailed 2-1 before they began their rampage in the fifth.

 

Logan Schafer began the inning with a single and scored the tying run on an infield single from Eric Farris. Wilson ripped a bases loaded single to score the go-ahead run. Zelous Wheeler singled in two more runs and an error on the catcher Mike McCormick allowed a third run to score on the play. Gindl's double scored Wheeler before Lee Haydel cleared the bases with a three-run triple. Farris brought in the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly. All nine batters reached and scored.

 

The Catfish scored their final two runs in the eighth inning on a home run from Quinn Stewart.

 

Amaury Rivas (8-3) settled down after throwing 33 pitches in the first inning. He allowed a pair of runs on six hits over five innings and fanned four to get the win. Jeremy Hall (4-3) retired the first six batters he faced but allowed eight runs on ten hits over four and a third and was tagged with the loss.

 

The Power improved to 52-44 on the year and 20-7 in the second half with the win. The Catfish fell to 43-52 on the year and 16-9 in the second half with the loss. Five Power players turned in multi-hit games. Haydel paced the Power with a 3-for-3 performance. The 6-9 batters combined for nine hits and knocked in five runs. Wilson extended his hitting streak to 11 games and he has reached safely in his last 16.

 

The Power will continue the four game series against Columbus Friday night. Right hander R.J. Seidel (6-4, 4.65) will make the start for the Power and the Catfish will counter with right hander Jesse Darcy (4-1, 2.66). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score

Manager Jeff Isom has been able to get his two raw 20-year-old Dominican RHP's, Jose Garcia and Pedro Lambertus, low-pressure stints with all the Power blowout wins as of late...

 

West Virginia Game Log

I was going to copy the 5th inning explosion here, but Bull described it well above...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 10, Idaho Falls (Royals) 7

 

Brewers overpower Chukars

Helena Independent Record

 

IDAHO FALLS - The Helena Brewers picked up a win Thursday, knocking off the Idaho Falls Chukars 10-7 after a strong showing at the plate.

 

Helena's Chris Dennis hit his eighth homer in the ninth inning, and the Brewers scored seven runs in the fifth to power the offense.

 

John Delaney also hit his eighth homer, while starting pitcher Liam Ohlmann pitched three innings (two runs) while striking out five.

 

Ohlmann's only gaff came in the second, when Idaho Falls' Devery Van De Keere hit a long ball to put the home team up two.

 

The Chukars tried to answer Helena's big fifth, but could only come up with four runs.

 

Helena's Wily Peralta came on in the eighth and hung on, striking out the side in the ninth, but not before giving up a run-scoring single to Sean McCauley.

 

The Brewers are now 15-14 on the year. They play again tonight against the Chukars starting at 7:15 PM (8:15 Central).

 

Helena Box Score

Delaney, Dennis, David Fonseca (three singles), Erik Komatsu (triple), Mike Roberts (three hits including a double), and Michael Marseco (double) all reached base at least twice; big lefty Brandon Ritchie is scuffling; RHP Adam Arnold bounced back from his only uneven performance of the season to grab the relief win; the H-Crew is 6th in the eight-team league in steals (only 17 in 32 attempts), so this isn't the speediest rookie Brewer squad we've seen...

 

Helena Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Helena Pre-Game Audio Interview with LHP Daniel Meadows

Click on the KCAP archive of July 17th, then browse to the 20:00 minute mark...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Clearwater (Phillies) 3, Brevard County 0

Game Summary from the Threshers' Site:

[align=center]

THRESHERS TAKE FIRST GAME, SECOND GAME POSTPONED

[/align]

VIERA, Fla. - Without Adrian Cardenas and Matt Spencer, the Threshers carried on and took the first game of a doubleheader with the Brevard County Manatees Thursday night, winning 3-0. Drew Naylor pitched six strong innings as the Threshers improved to 8-15 for the second half while Brevard County fell to 8-17.

 

Cardenas and Spencer were traded late Thursday afternoon to the Oakland Athletics along with Josh Outman, a former Thresher who was with Reading (AA) at the time, in return for pitcher Joe Blanton.

 

Naylor did not allow a run in his six innings, scattering seven hits and allowing a walk while also striking out seven Manatee batters. With the solid performance, the native of Australia picked up his first win since joining the Threshers in June.

 

Matt Smith, with the Threshers on a rehab assignment, pitched a scoreless seventh to earn the save.

 

The scoring started for the Threshers in the third when Michael Taylor picked up an RBI by knocking in Gary Cates who had led off the inning by being hit by a pitch.

 

Taylor, who joined the team at the same time as Naylor, had one of his best offensive days yet as a Thresher. He finished 2-4, including a double in the fifth that scored Clearwater's other two runs of the game.

 

The two teams were scheduled to play a second seven-inning game Thursday night, but that game was postponed due to lingering rain in the area.

 

Brevard County Box Score

E.J. Shanks did a nice job behind Jeremy Jeffress, but no runs equals no win; Darren Ford singled and walked, stole two bases (47-for-58); Taylor Green singled twice...

 

Brevard County Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Florida Today:

 

Myers to start against Manatees

 

Major-league veteran pitcher Brett Myers is expected to start for the Clearwater Threshers tonight in a Florida State League game against the Brevard County Manatees.

 

The Threshers and Manatees are scheduled to play a pair of seven-inning games at Space Coast Stadium Friday, starting at 5:00 PM (4:00 Central). Information regarding which game Myers will pitch was not released at press time.

 

Myers is 3-9 with a 5.84 ERA in 17 starts for the Philadelphia Phillies this season. The 27-year-old right-hander, who is in his seventh season with the Phillies, was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on July 1.

 

Tonight's start will be Myers' fourth straight -- and first with Clearwater -- at the minor-league level. He is expected to rejoin the Phillies' rotation next week.

 

For his major-league career, Myers is 62-56 with a 4.49 ERA.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Promotion forces Power outfielder to adjust to tougher competition

by Michael Dailey

Charleston Daily Mail sportswriter

 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- It seems the third time was the charm for West Virginia Power outfielder Logan Schafer.

 

Schafer, was drafted for the third consecutive year when the Milwaukee Brewers selected him in the third round with the 94th overall pick in last month's Major League Baseball Draft.

 

And after spurning offers from the Boston Red Sox, who picked Schafer in the 31st round (943rd) in 2006, and from the Colorado Rockies, who selected him in the 47th round (1,376th) in 2007, the speedy, left-handed outfielder finally decided to sign his name to a professional contract.

 

Schafer, who received a $404,000 signing bonus from the Brewers, knew he was gambling with his future by not signing the first two times he was drafted, but he felt he was better off improving his skills at the collegiate level.

 

"When I was drafted before, it was pretty tempting," said Schafer, who played two seasons at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. "I thought about it a lot, but I knew I still had a long way to go with my mental approach and my physical build before I got here.

 

"I knew that I could develop as a pro on the way up through the system, but I felt that the college way was the best way for me to go. I kind of took my chances, went back to college and things worked out well for me."

 

Schafer, an All-Big West Conference first-team center fielder in 2008, already might have benefited from his choice to attend college over going professional out of high school.

 

After just eight games at Helena (Mont.) in the rookie Pioneer League, Schafer was promoted to West Virginia, where he earned his first Class A outfield start in the Power's 11-4 win over the Columbus, (Ga.) Catfish on Thursday evening at Appalachian Power Park.

 

After collecting two hits in his first 11 at-bats with the Power as a designated hitter, Schafer made the most of his first positional start in going 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.

 

West Virginia, which leads the South Atlantic League's Northern Division, improved to 20-7, while Columbus dropped to 16-9.

 

"He's a little bit older," Power Manager Jeff Isom said of the 21-year old Schafer. "He's a college guy and we've (the Brewers) had a lot of success moving those guys up through the ranks.

 

"He fits that mold. He played at a very good and very competitive college. So, a lot of the pitching he'll see here is comparable to what he's been seeing.

 

"That will help him make the jump, but it is still going to be a little bit of a jump for him. He's going to have to make some adjustments and we're interested to see if he can make them."

 

In his short stint in the Mountain State, Schafer has noticed a discernable difference between the rookie league and the Class A circuit.

 

"A lot of players at Helena have a bunch of talent, but they're just not as polished as they are here," Schafer said. "These guys are much more polished.

 

"They've got a little swagger and they know how to play the game right. They work hard every day and they know what it takes to be successful."

 

Although he's still getting to know his newest outfielder, Isom has heard and noticed good things about Schafer's game.

 

"Everything that I've heard about him is that he can flat-out play in the outfield," Isom said. "He does a good job of tracking down fly balls and he'll make some spectacular plays.

 

"Offensively, I like his swing. He runs very well, so he'll be a nice addition to our offense with the way we like to move base runners. He'll be a welcome addition to our lineup in that respect."

 

Schafer certainly looked at home against the Catfish with a pair of singles in the Power's 10-run, eight-hit fifth inning.

 

The Power outburst chased Columbus starter Jeremy Hall (4-3) after 4 1/3 innings in which he allowed 10 hits and eight earned runs.

 

Lee Haydel highlighted the Power's fifth with a three-run triple to left center, while Caleb Gindl added an RBI double off the base of the wall in center field.

 

Gindl finished with two RBI, as did middle infielders Zelous Wheeler and Eric Farris.

 

Power pitcher Amaury Rivas (8-3) bounced back from allowing first-inning homers to Maiko Loyola and Reid Fronk to pitch four scoreless innings and earn the win.

 

Curtis Pasma and Pedro Lambertus tossed the final three innings to finish off the Catfish.

[Mass Haas]

Logan Schafer and Lee Haydel featured in this Charleston Daily Mail photo gallery.

[Mass Haas]

Evan Anundsen Photo Gallery -- Matt Cline / Eric Farris

[battlekow]

Evan Anundsen Photo Gallery -- Matt Cline / Eric Farris

http://www.dailymail.com/images/display/CATPOW3_D08071715rtl.jpg

Does he throw a screwball?

[TheCrew07]

Circle change maybe?